Improvement in postal cars



43 Shets-Shet 1. G. R. HARRISON. Postal-Gar.

Patented Sept. 2,1879

3 Sheets$heet 2.

' 0. R. HARRISON.

Postal-Oar.

No. 219,155. Patented Sept. 2,1879

Q I D v a z/6712071 3 Sheets-Sheet a.

c. R. HARRISON.

Patented Sept. 2,1879

N.PETERS. FHOTO L1THOGRAPHER. WASHlNGTON. D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES HARRISON, OF FOND DU LAO, WISCONSIN.

IMPROVEMENT IN POSTAL CARS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 2:19.155, dated September 2, 1879; application filed May 22, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES R. HARRISON, of Fond du Lac, in the county of Fond duLac and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Postal Cars, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification,reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

In my postal'car apparatus patented April 8, 1879, N 0. 214,036, the side brackets and racks and thecenter standards and supportlug-rods are, respectively, stationary and constructed in one continuous piece.

My present improvement relates to the division of side racks and center supports, respectively, into sections, and the placing and displacing of any or all these sections at will, with the object of thus attaining further working or stowing spaces, more extended and convenient groupings of apparatus, and more economical disposition of the time and labor of the operator.

In the drawings, Figure l is aground plan of my invention; Fig. 2, a front view of foldin g rack-sections and brackets Fig. 3, a transverse sectional view. of my invention, with views of parts detached.

A is the rack-section; a, the tie-rod or end bar of same; f, the hinge-hook, and k the latch. Bisthe swinging bracket b, the catch on same. 0 is the wall-piece, embracing the brackethinge eyes at w, and c the slotted eye of the rack-hinge. D is the adjustable head of the center standard, d, and center rods, 6 0 D is the adjustablefoot and socket of the standard d. E is the mortised top' of standard at. J is the adjustable legof portable table; y, the double open hinge on bottom front of table. n is the car-wall.

The side rack-section A is formed of parallel rods 0 e fixed into tie-rods or end bars a a. The rear rod extends, at either end, through the tie-rods sufficient to form a hinge-hook, f, working in the slotted eye 0. The front rod is furnished at either end and outside the tierod with a latch, 70, resting, when in position, in the bracket-catch b.

The bracket B is furnished with hinge-hooks w as at the rear, and in front with catch b.

The wall-piece O is composed of a bar or plate screwed onto the car-wall a. It is furnished with hinge-eyes w w, and has a projecting top or head, through which is cut the slotted eye a. This slot is preferably inclined from front downward, as shown in Fig. 3.

The rack-section A, when hinged to the wallpiece 0 by hinge-hooks f in slot 0, turns verti- The object of elongating or slotting the eye 0 is to enable the latch is to clear the catch 1) by drawing forward the racksection the length of the slot 0, and when over the catch setting f back to the bottom of the slot and engaging the latch with the catch, and by similar action disengaging the bracket and rack section, thusformin g, when together, a firm, strong bagrack, and when disengaged the whole apparatus may be folded against the wall, leaving clear space for passage or stowage between the center supports and wall of car. Any one or more, or all, of these side-rack sections may at will be placed in position for use, or, on the other hand, folded away to clear the space, as aforesaid.

To accomplish similar objects as to the center of the car, I construct the supporting-standard D at and rods 0 e in sections. The headD is cut from the standard-body d, and furnished at the bottom with a pin. This head is affixed at either end of rods 0 6, (cut into suitable lengths,) making one portable piece, D e e. The top of the standard-body E is mortised or bored vertically to receive the head-pin, which is secured with a key, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The particular shape, form, or device of this head D, so far as the same relates to the attaching or detaching of the piece D e e to the standard d, may vary according to convenience, and I claim no novelty, excepting in the portable detachable and sectional features afore said.

The standard d E is made in one portable piece, which is attached to, or detached from, the floor by means of adjustable foot and step device D, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, or by equivalent devices, for the particular character of which I claim no novelty.

By this arrangement it will be seen that the center system of supporting rods and standards may readily be set up for use in sections or the whole workinglength of the apparatus, and as readily knocked down and removed,

wholly or in part, as the space is desired for passage-way or stowage. Thus, by folding away the side racks and displacing and removing the center standards and rods, as shown above, the whole body of the car may be at once turned into an empty room, and, again, by setting up the apparatus, converted into an operating-room for distribution of mails.

To promote the work it is often found desirable to get a clear alley-way on one side of the car by folding the side-rack sections, and so have the work all in front of the operator by apparatus in position as shown in Fig. 3. Ohviously, in this grouping the drop-tables will be deprived of their regular supportsto wit, the outer rod of the folded side rack. I supply this want by an independent support or tableleg, J. This is a rod with foot-plate and crossbar or T at top. The T books into the double open hinge on the bottom of table for this purpose, and more particularly because the curb of the table is, when in ordinary use, at its back end; so the table must be reversed. I then affix to the bottom and near the front of the table a set of double open hinges, y, with which I hook the reversed table onto the center support-rods, and support it with leg J, as above explained.

Having thus shown the nature, objects, and

construction of my device, I claim as my in- Ventionl. The combination, in a portable center 

